Building construction



April 28, 1942. A. CQOLSEN 2,281,109

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 14, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet l J0 1w 1 J7 J7 E J2 a2 7 8 J6 K52 a i J7 J April 1942- A. c. OLSEN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 14, 1939 '4 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 28, 1942. A.-. OLSEN ,28 0

I BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 1'4, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet s April 28, 1942. A. c. OLSEN 2,281,109

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 14, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INN . Q WMN Patented Apr. 28, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT oF-Flce BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Anders 0. Olsen, Gwynedd, Pa.

Application August 14, 1939, Serial No. 289,987

- 19 Claims.

This invention relates to a wall surface forming structure when considered in its broadest application, that is, it is applicable to form a wall surface generally but is particularly adapted to provide a ceiling surface.

1 Basically the invention comprehends more or less pan-like surfacing units adapted to be assembled in a continuous wall surfacing structure wherein the individual units are secured in assembled relation and secured in place with respect to-the structure to which they are applied by means of hanger members of simple construction.

The construction of the individual wall surfacing units is such that a plurality thereof in cooperation with the securing and hanger members form a finished w-all facing which may be easily and rapidly erected, is relatively low in cost, both as to cost of the component parts and cost of erection and particularly a wall surfacing which due to the construction of thelndivldual units and of the hanger and connector umts which are used, is such that individual units forming an assembled construction may be readily removed and replaced, without disturbing the other units thereof.

The individual units or any desired portion of such individual units may be so prepared and used as to constitute acoustical correction or sound absorbing units. If the inventions hereof are to be utilized in connection with acoustical correction the faces of the individual units which it is desired shall serve for the absorption of sound are suitably perforated or otherwise suitably prepared so that the sound waves may pass through the face of such a unit to be absorbed by a suitable sound absorbing medium provided behind the perforated face. 1

It is an oject of this invention to provide an improved finished wall surface construction provided as individual units adapted to be erected in assembled relation to constitute a finished wall surface, and particularly in a combination such that individual units may be readily and easily removed and replaced without disturbing other units of the construction.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a suspending and securing member which is adapted to secure the individual units together in a securing manner and to serve as a means for attaching the surfacing units to a supporting structure.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved acoustical correction construction for the absorption of sound and correction of acoustical conditionswithin an enclosure and to provide suitable means and construction to adapt the finished surfacing units to such purpose including a suitable means for utilizing in connection therewith the sound absorbing materials necessary for the utilization of the inventlons hereof for the purposes of acoustical correction.

Other and further objects of the inventions hereof are the provision of the finished surfacing units, securing and supporting members and associated and related construction, constructed in accordance with the teachings hereby illustrated and described, of such character and design that the finished surface units either for the purposes of providing a finished surface or acoustical correction are of low cost, may be readily and easily manufactured, easily applied at relatively low cost and in general provide a considerable im-, provement over various constructions available for the broad general purpose for which the inventions hereof are to serve.

Still other and further objects and advantages of the inventions hereof will be apparent from inspection of the accompanying drawings when considered in connection with the detailed descrlption thereof following in the specification.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a rear plan view of a ceiling? construction embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section taken on line 3-4 of a hanger member; I I

Figure '7 is a rear plan view illustrating a specific application of the securing clip members;

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 7;

a section taken on line l|--Il of approaching a square.

shown in section and taken on line lZ-l2 of Figure 13;

Figure 13 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fi ure 12;

Figure 14 is a rear plan view of a modified unit connector clip or latch member;

Figure 15 is a cross-section of the unit connector clip of Figure 14 and associated pan units taken on line l5l5 of Figure 14; v

Figure 16 is a perspective detail of one of the elements of the connector clip shown in Figure 14;

Figure 17 is a perspective of a portion of the other member of the unit connector clip shown in F ur Figure 18 is a section of a pan unit illustrating application of a sound absorbing material theret Figure 19 is a cross-sectional view of the construction shown in Figure 18 taken at right angles thereto but with a portion thereof broken away; 7

Figure 20 is a face plan view of a pan unit;

Figure ,21 is a side elevation of the combination of pan unit connector clip and sound absorbing material support with portions of the associated pan units shown in section; f

Figure 22 shows the construction of Figure 21 v .in end elevation taken at right angles to the view of Figure 21;

Figure 23 is an elevation of a detail of the facing of an individual pan unit illustrating open ings provided; and,

Figure 24 is a section taken on line Figure 23.

The invention as disclosed in the drawings illustrates particularly the application of the inventions to the provision of a ceiling construction, but it is to be understood that the teachings hereof are applicable in the erection of side wall and other structures as well as in the erection of ceiling structures.

In the drawings, the units or contiguous membranes which go to make up a complete ceiling are indicated generally by the numeral 30. These units 30, while illustrated as rectangular, need not of course be made according to the proportions of their dimensions as illustrated, but they may be made as square units, as longer and narrower than as illustrated or as shorter and wider Still further, the units can be of other form than quadrilateral, that is,

tions 33, shown in Figure 3, and particularly illustrated in Figure 3.

The reenforcing corrugations 33, provided in the face of the units 30, may be merely for the purpose of strengthening or reenforcing the face -or they'may serve a decorative purpose or they may serve both functions as, for example, in the illustration of Figure 20 the strengthening corrugations 33 serve not only to strengthen the face of the unit 30 there shown, but in addition the such strengthening corrugations 33 subdivide the face of the unit 30 into a simulation of a plurality of tiles and if desired it will, of course, be understood that the entire face of the unit 30 may have a figure or pattern pressed therein which may be both decorative and strengthening. In addition to the strengthening corrugations of ribs 33 in the face of the unit 30, the face-of the unit around its edges or at its perimeter may be pro-.

vided with a bevel such that when two of the units are erected side by side, the adjacent bevels are the substantial equivalent of the V-shaped corrugated ribs 33 shown in Figure 3, whereby the joint between adjacent units may closely resemble the V-corrugation 33, so that the joint between the adjacentunits is substantially disguised and not readily discernible.

In the illustration of the drawings, the units 30 are shown as suspended from angle members 36 which are shown as illustrative of that portion of a structure from which the wall surfacing construction hereof will be attached or suspended. These angle members 36 are ordinarily in ceiling construction installed for the suspension of the ceiling construction therefrom, whereas, in a building of wood construction in lieu of the-angle members 36, there will ordinarily be joists-to which the ceiling construction is attached and likewise in other types of construction other suitable members will be provided for the attachment of a ceiling thereunder. The angle members 36 are also to be taken as representative o'f studs or the like, to which the units 30 may be secured in the erection of a side wall structure, In the construction specifically illustrated, a ceiling construction made up of a plurality of units 30, is suspended from the angle members 36, each of the units 30 being indicated as of a length equal tothe distance between adjacent angle members 36 and of a suitable width which in the proportions shown is about onehalf of the length.

they may be made in the form of triangles or the like and the. units may be made in various sizes, as for example, considering a unit of unit size, other units may be of half size, quarter size and the like, so that they may be put together to form a finished wall surface.

The units 30 may be made of sheet metal or may be formed of any other'material which can be satisfactorily formed into pan-like units, 1. e. g

for example, the units may be molded of reenforced synthetic resin substances orjmay be formed of plywood or the like as will be evident to one skilled in the art. As illustrated, each unit comprises a flat face portion, the edges of which have been turned up at'an angle of 90 to the face portion to form a shallow pan-like member, the upturned edge flanges of the unit 30 being indicated at 3I -3l and 32-32. The flat face portion of the unit 33 maybe strengthened and reenforced by having' therein one or more reenforcing ridges or corrugations such as V-shaped reenforcing corruga- Units 30 are suspended from the angle members 36 by means of strap members 31 and cooperating latch members 38 which form means adapted to be secured to the straps for afiixing adjacent edge flanges of contiguous pan units and a strap together. In the present instance the suspending straps 31. form means for supporting the units in substantially co-planar relationship and are shown as at their upper ends merely bent over one leg of the channel members 36, whereas, of course, if the ceiling structure is suspended'below wood joists, the strap 31 maybe secured thereto by nailing through nailing openings 39 therein provided, or if the ceiling is suspended from the straps 31 will be suitably bent thereover, or further in a concrete structure where the ceiling is suspended from inserts in the concrete the straps 31 may be suitably secured to such inserts .by wires or other securing means.

Each of the pan-like units is provided on at least two of its opposed upstanding side portions with a crimp or rib 40, the ribs in the opposed pencil rods or the like,-

upstanding side edges 32 being complementary so that when two units 33 are brought together, the respective ribs 43 co-act and inter-fit and serve to securely, in conjunction with latch member 33, hold the faces of the units 30 aligned one with another. In addition to the rib 40 provided in each of the upstanding side edges 32, one oi! these side edges is provided at this upper portion with an inwardly turned flange 4|, which flange serves to deflnitely position the face or the units with respect to the hanger strap 31, as will be hereinafter more particularly disclosed.

Whereas each of the units 30 is shown as having the ribs 43 in only its side edges 32, it will be understood that if it is desired for structural reasons that similar ribs 40 maybe formed in each of the opposite side edges 3 I, the short side edges as illustrated, and that the intumed flange may be formed atthe upper portion of one of the short side edges 3|, which construction is more likely to be used when for one reason or another there are provided suspended channels'36 or the like, erected in the form of two sets of supporting members arranged at right angles one to the other. Regardless of whether both pairs 01 the upturned side edges are or are not ribbed at 43, and provided with the inturned flange 4i, it is desired that one pair of the side edges be relieved as at 42 in order that the latch member 33 may be applied at a point where the corners of two units 33 come together. As the description of the invention proceeds it will be apparent that the ribs 40 in the upturned side edges of the units are not absolutely necessary but it is preferable that such be provided since after the latching member is secured adjacent units 30 will with the provision of the ribs 40 be so secured that they cannot possibly move relatively in a direction perpendicular to the faces of the units 30.

The ribs 40 in the upturned side edges 32 of the units 30 may be either of substantially V-torm bers 33 to secure the pan units 33 in position. The slot system provided, adjacent preferably each end of a hanger strap'member 31, comprises a horizontal slot 43 entering into the hanger strap 31 from one edge thereof and a connecting vertical slot 44 at the inner end of the horizontal slot 43 whereby there is formed an angle slot as illustrated in Figure 5, or may be of substanvided in the upstanding side edges 3| since it will be apparent that when the latch 33 is applied the contacting side edges 3| of adjacent units 30'are securely pressed one against the other and will be trictionally. retained in place. It will, of

course, be readily understood that in lieu of the continuous ribs 40, as illustrated, that the side edges 3| may be provided with complementing interengaging deformations of substantially any character whereby the contacting and complementing side edges will be prevented from movement one with respect to the other in a direction perpendicular to the faces of the units.

For securing adjacent units 33 one with respect to another, and for suspending a ceiling formed of a plurality of such units, there are provided the strap members 31 with which cooperate the latches 33 as follows. The strap members 31 which are suitably secured to the supporting structure as by having their upper ends bent over the angles 33 or by being suitably nailed to joists or the like, are provided adjacent their ends with a slot system with which cooperate latch memsystem. In the upper edge of the horizontal slot 43, there is provided a recess or cutout 43 which as shown is substantially semi-circular but which it will be understood may be of any suitable shape which will serve the purpose for which the recess or cutout 43 is provided.

There cooperates with the slot system of the hanger strap member 31 the latch member 33 which latch member may be generally described as a short angle section formed preferably from metal having at least a degree of springiness. The latch member 33 is formed in an approximation of a channel section having a short leg '53 and long leg 3| forming resilient means the wedging rib 53 is merely one form and that this rib 53 may be of any other suitable section, as for example, may be V-shape or the like. It may be said that the latch member 33 forms a resilient clamping means which is complementally formed with respect to the supporting strap whereby the clamping meansis adapted to move transversely with respect to its supporting shape to wedge the clamping means.

, The latch member just above described cooperates with the slot system provided in the end of the supporting strap 31. The short leg 30 o! the latch enters into the vertical slot 44 of the slot system, the connecting portion 52 of the latch enters into the horizontal slot 43 of the strap and the wedging rib 33 enters into the re- I cess 43 intermediate the ends 0! the horizontal slot 43 of the-strap. ,The long leg II of the latch extends downwardly more or lessparallel to the lower-portionoi a side edge of strap 31 and is so formed that its inner face is substantially incontact with the side edge of the strap member 31; In the modification illustrated in Figures 12 and 13 primed reference characters indicate parts which are similar to andfunction the same as those illustrated in Figures 4 and .5. V

In the modification illustrated in Figures 12- and 13, the short leg 53 is turned upwardly instead oi downwardly as the short leg 33 in Figure 5. Also, the upturned flange 33' is formed as shown in Figure 13, with an inclined edge adapted to have a wedging action with the slot 44'. The downwardly extending leg at 33' is resiliently formed as the leg at 33 in the modiflcatween the resilient leg portion and the contiguous flange of an adjacent metal pan 30. When the pans are thus erected the clip may be wedged into place. It is obvious, however, that the clip38 may be wedged into place before the erection of a contiguous unit; In taking down a unit it is only necessary to place a suitably In erecting units 30 aftera suspending strap is suitably positioned, the inturned flange 6| provided on the side edge32 of a unit 36 is suitably inserted into the horizontal slot near the lower end of a hanger 31. The complementing side edge 32 of a unit member 30 is then suitably positioned in contact with the side edge of the pan previously erected with the complementing ribs 40 engaged wherebythe units 36 are suitably responding to the usual spacing of the angle supporting members 36, such spacing ordinarily being four feet. It will be seen that with the arrangement shown in Figure 1, that in every other row the units 36 will be supported at their centers and not at their ends, in which case in order that these otherwise relatively free ends of the units maybe suitably supported, there may be applied at this point of the assemblage suitable positioned. A latch member 36 is then inserted into the slot system 43- and moved longitudinally until the wedglng action of the inclined rib 53 prevents further movement of the latch 38. With the latch member 36 positioned as has just been described, it is greadily apparent that the side edges 3| of the units, the suspending strap 31 and the latch member 38 by their cooperation securely connect together the side edges of adjacent pan units to suspend them securely in their proper position. The complementing side edges 32 of adjacent pan units are frictionally secured between a side edge of the strap 31 and the face of the long leg 5| of the latch member, and if the side edges 32 of the units 30 are provided with the cooperating positioning ribs the lower end of strap member 31 is preferably provided with a cooperating and complementing projection 54 which will enter into the rib 40 to position a pan-with respect to lateral movement relative to the lengthwise axis of strap 31. It will of course be readily understood that the projection 54 on the lower end of a strap 31 and the cooperating ribs in the side edges 32 of the pan units 30 may be equivalently provided by inversion, ife. the projection 54 may be a recess and the ribs may be reversed to complement each other and a recess 54 or alternatively'as particu larly shown in Figure 12 the ribs 46 may be of semi-circular form complementing a like projection 54 on strap 31.

- In erecting the units 30 every other row in one direction may be offset with respect to the next row, as is shown in Figure 1, wherein the units 30 of every other row are shown as oflsetby onehalf their length with respect to the adjacent row but, however, as will be readily understood, the offset of adjacent rows need not necessarily be that corresponding to one-half the length of a unit, it may be any other desired offset or the units need not necessarily be oilset, i. e. each unit in adjacent rows may be directly opposite each other unit. The assemblage of units 30 to make up a ceiling or the like will, of course, be suitably supported by the straps 31 and cooperating latch members 38 at suitable intervals illustrated in Figure l, at intervals corresponding to the length of a unit which in-the particular illustration are intended torepresent a spacing cor- 1 treme outer'ends at 64.

latch members whereby these ends of theunits Just referred to are securely tied together and to the side edge of an adjacent unit 30.

The facing units 30 may be supported from an angle member 36, if a it is desired that the pan units are to be installed close up under the angle member by utilizing a standard strap member 31 having its ends bent at right angles to the central portion thereof as is shown in Figure 8, forming a strap member 31', the ends bent at right angles to the central portion being indicated by the numeral 55. Preferably the strap member 31 is provided with a latch slot system'at each end. A latch member may be used each of these ends 55 of the so formed strap 31, and the suspended pans 36 may be supported at two separated points using but one strap 31. In the illustration of Figure 8, it will be seen that the legs 55 of the strap member 31 have been bent with respect to the central portion of the strap member so that the central portion will rest on the topof angle member 36 and that the latch members 38 serve to secure together three pans secured at two'spaced points whereby two of the pans 30 close to their adjacent ends are. secured to a. continuous side edge 32 of an adjacent pan 30.

For securing together the upstanding side edges of adjacenmt pan units 30 at points other than those at which the structure i to be supported, there may be used clamp or latch members such as are shown in Figures 10 and 11 and 14 to 17 inclusive. The latch member shown in Figure 10 is of very simple construction'comprising only a piece of spring wire formed to a circle at this central portion with the legs thereof diverging outwardly and slightly forwardly, these outwardly diverging legs being then each towards its outer end bent to substantially a right angle with respect to the plane of the circular central portion, the

extreme outer ends being bent outwardly at an being designated by the numeral 6|, the outwardly diverging legs 62, the outer end portion at right angles thereto 63, and finally the exforms clamping means adapted to'aflix contiguous units together. To apply the latch member to secure together two side edges ofa pan 30, whether the short side edges 3| or the long side edges 32, the circular portion 6| of the latch is applied to the inturned flange 4| at the upper edge of a pan being applied thereto in a position with the latch 60 tiltedto an angle of about to its normal installed position, as illustrated in Figure 22 for the installation of a combination latch and pad support to be later described in detail. The latch 66 is then rocked with respect to the outer edge of flange 4|, in a clockwise di rection according to the illustration of Figure 11', so that the circularly formed center portion of in conjunction with y The latch member 66 the latch member is caused to pass under the inturned flange ti and the outwardly and forwardly extending portions 42 overlie the upper face of said flange, the downwardly bent portion 03 then being positioned adjacent the upstanding side edge of the pan and pressing thereagainst tocause the ribs 40 of the adjacent upstanding side edges to be forced into firm contact one with another. This latch member 80 and the application thereof, is rather dimcult to explain in writing, but on following through the above description taken in connection with the illustration in Figures and 11, the form of the latch member 6,0 and its application will be entirely clear. The clamping action of the latch member is obtained due to the fact that the outwardly and forwardly diverging. arms 62, are in their normal or unstressed position more nearly in line than as shown in Figure 10 where the latch member 60 is shown as applied, and from this it will readily be evident that as these outwardly diverging arms are sprung forwardly in applying the latch member as shown in Figures 10 and 11, the central circularly formed portion of the latch 60 will be stressed so that the downwardly bent portion 63 forming downwardly extending means will firmly force the respective side edges of the pans into firm and secure engagement. It is set forth in the claims that the members 63 form resiliently formed means to 17 inclusive such a latch member made of sheet metal and not relying upon spring action for forcing the adjacent pans edges into contact but rather positively forcing such into contact through wedging action of the. cooperating portions of the latch member. The sheet metal latch indicated generally as 65, comprises two portions one of which 66 will be referred to as the keeper," the other 81 as the wedge. Keeper I is formed of flat sheet metal folded to form a narrow U having one leg 88 shorter than the other leg 69 and having struck up therein in the body of the long edge 69 an elongated tongue I0 which is elevated or struck up above the general surface of the long leg portion 69 and in connection with which attention is particularly directed to the fact that the outeror free edge II is formed at a slant with respect to the base of the U formed by the long and short legs 69 and 68, the purpose of which slant of edge II will beapparent as the description hereof proceeds.

The cooperating wedge portion 61 which is used inconnection with the keeper 66 just above described, comprises a sheet metal member bent to form two legs at substantially right angles one to the other, the shorter leg being designated by numeral I2, the longer by numeral 13. The short leg 12 has struck downwardly therein two spaced tongue members 14 which are so formed that the plane thereof is below the surface of the face of the short leg portion 12 of the wedge l1. The outer or free edge of the tongue members 14 indicated at is formed with an angularity the same as that of the outer edges ll of the tongue I0 of keeper 66. The long leg 13 of the wedge member may be curved outwardly slightly as is clearly apparent in Figure 15.

In applying the sheet metal latch to secure together the side edges of pans 30, the keeper member 86 is slipped over an inturned flange ll with its long leg 88 overlying the upper surface of the flange ll. The wedge member 61 is then applied so that its tongues 14 slip under the tongue 10 of the keeper member and then as these two memers 56 and 61 of the latch are moved relatively to bring the inclined outer edges "II and I! of their tongues 10 and H into firm engagement it will be readily apparent that the long leg 13 of wedge 6| will be caused to firmly engage rib 40 of the side edge 32 of a pan to firmly engage the side edge of one pan with the side edge of the adjacent pan.

In using the constructiomas hereinbefore described for the purposes of acoustical correction or sound absorption the faces of each pan unit 30 will be suitably perforated, pertused, or provided with openings through which impinging sound waves may pass to be absorbed by sound absorbing material which may be applied to pans 30. As illustrated, the face of a pan may be suitably punched with a plurality of openings 80, the showing of Figure 23 being substantially an exact scale showing of a preferred size of perforation and spacing thereof. It will of course be understood that the perforation of the face of a pan unit 30 need not be with openings of the exact .size of those illustrated nor of the exact spacing,

perforations wherein the metal from the parts comprising the openings has merely been punched or extruded to the rear of the face of the pan 30. The perforations formed in a manner just described tend to stiffen the face of the pan and under some circumstances these upstanding. extrusions may serve to support a sound absorbing material spaced slightly from the rear of the face of pan 31!, the such'extruded portions referred to being indicated by the numeral 8|.

Since there are economies in using pan member of as large size as may be practical, it is when using such for acoustical correction necessary that sound absorbing material placed in the pan shall be independently supported with respect to the flat face of the pan so that the weight of the applied sound absorbing material shall not cause the face of the pan to bulge. For the purpose of supporting the sound absorbing pad 85 in a pan member 30 there may be used a combination latch and pad support indicated generally at 86 forming means forsupporting the sound absorption material comprising means for affixing contiguous membranes together and transverse means adapted for supporting the sound absorption material, the latch portion of which is substantially the'same as that described in connection with the showing of Figures 10 and 11, modified to the extent that the extreme end portions 64 are extended as at 81 forming trans- 60, as previously described. and when applied it serves the function both of firmly securing together the adjacent side edges of adjacent pans 30 and of supporting sound absorbing pads'85. Several of these combination latch and pad supporting members 86 may be applied along the edge of each pan as may be necessary to suitably support a pad 85 in a pan 30.

An entirely different method of supporting the sound absorbing pad 85 in a pan 30 is shown in Figures 18 and 19, wherein there is illustrated a sheet metal pad support 90 forming means for supporting the sound absorption material, which is formed to support pad '85 primarily from the upper edges of the side edges of a pan 30. The

' sheet metal pad supports '90 are formedofa relatively narrow strip of a suitable metal, the specific form thereof being clearly apparent from an inspection of Figures 18 and 19, Briefly described, a sheet metal pad support 90 comprises end portions 9| and 92 adapted to be supported on the inturned flanges 4i and formed as a supporting cradle dropped downwardly from and supported by end portions 9| and 92, the transverse or cross portion 93 of the cradle being positioned preferably slightly spaced from the rear of the face of the pan 30. The transverse or cross portion 83 of the cradle is preferably crimped or corrugated lengthwise so as to stiffen this portion and if desired, the cradle may be spot-welded or otherwise suitably secured as by rivets or the like, to the side edges of the pans 30, such point of securing being in the drawing at those points designated by numerals 9 23.

An important feature of the inventions above disclosed is .that any unit of an installation embodying the construction so described, may be removed from an applied assemblage without disturbing any other unit. It willbe seen that each of the latch members which has been disclosed and described serves to secure one upstanding side edge di or 32 of each pan 30 firmly in engagement with the complementing side edge of an adjacent pan 30, and that one of two complementing side edges is supported only through its contact with its complementing side edge, such contact being maintained by what might be termed a freely depending leg of the latch memher being in connection with the latch illustrated menting ribs 40 may be disengaged whereupon the pan 30 may be pulled down further at its disengaged edge until the upper portion of this side edge clears the face of an adjacent pan 30. After a pan 30 has been brought to the position just described, it will be apparent that the such pan may then be readily removed from the assembly and that such pan 30 may just as readily be replaced by the reversal of the operations described for its removal therefrom.

It is obvious that there has been disclosed a novel ceiling or wall facing structure and the I like, which may be readily erected and then taken down. Referring" to Figures 4 and 5, it is preferred to first erect a suitably shaped member along the side wall, if a ceiling structure is to be erected, and snap into engagement a portion of a pan unit or a specially formed ornamentalstrip having a flange turned thereon, as illustrated in Figure 5, for the further erection of contiguous metal pan units. The supporting straps 31 are secured in any well known manner to the supporting members 36 or other form of supporting structure, with the slot' 48 supporting the inturned flange 4| of a metal pan unit or other border structure. The wedge shaped clip 38 is then applied 'flrmly, wedging the pan unit 30 to the supporting strap 31. The contiguous unit may then be applied by snapping into place, as illustrated in Figure 5, by forcing the unit upwardly between the downwardly extending resilient member 5| and the contiguous flange 32 of an adjacent unit. In a similar manner with the modification illustrated in Figures 12, 13, 14 and 15, the metal pan units may be readily erected.

With reference to the modification of the supporting strap illustrated in Figure 9, it is not necessary that each metal pan unit 30 shall have an inwardly turned flange 4| as the projection 54 formed on the strap and which is complementally formed to the ridges 40 on the pan units is suflicient when the securing clip 38 is applied to retain the pan in position while a contiguous pan is erected, as has been disclosed with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Also, with this modification of the supporting strap as illustrated in Figure 9, the pan units may be readily disassembled by inserting an appropriate tool and pulling the units downwardly, thus forcing the resilient member 5! outwardly torelease the units. It is obvious that with this modification that the units may be again readily assembled by forcing contiguous units upwardly between the resilient member 51, and its complemental supporting strap.

Whereas, there has been above described the specific preferred embodiment of the inventions hereof, together with certain modified forms of such preferred constructions, it is to be understood that the such preferred form of the invention is readily susceptible to modification without departing from the spirit of the disclosure hereof, and that such modifications of the construction will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art.

The inventions hereof; having been fully described in connection with the showing of the drawings, I claim:

' 1. In an acoustical wall construction, the combination with a supporting structure of an ornamental wall facing supported therefrom comprising perforated membranes, said membranes comprising upturned edge flanges formed to interengage with upturned edge flanges of contiguous membranes and certain of said flanges having inwardly turned terminal flange portions,

. means for supporting the membranes side by side in substantially co-planar relationship to form an acoustical wall construction, said means comprising straps being supported from the supporting structure to support units as they are erected by the inwardly turned terminal flange portion and means'demountably attached to some of the flanges of contiguous membranes by a resilient action and to the straps by a wedging action, whereby the membranes are adapted to be attached and detached in the acoustical wall con struction.

2. In an acoustical ceiling construction, the combination with a supporting structure of a plurality of perforated membranes, said membranes comprising upturned edge flanges formed to interengage with contiguous membranes whereby breathing between the contiguous membranes is prevented and certain of said flanges having inwardly turned terminal flange portions, means for suspending the membranes from the supporting structure in substantially co-planar relationship, said means comprising straps engaging one of said membranes in contiguous relationship by an inwardly turned terminal flange portion, and clamping means for securing the contiguous membranes and the strap together by a'wedging and a resilient action, whereby the membranes are suspended from the supporting structure.

3. The combination with contiguous membranes having upturned edge flanges and certain of said flanges having inwardly turned terminal flange portions, of a supporting strap transversely positioned with respect to the upturned edge flanges and formed to suspend the contiguous membranes, a clamping means complementally formed with respect to the supporting strap and formed to overlay the inwardly turned terminal flange portions whereby the clamping means is adapted 'to move transversely with respect to thesupporting strap to wedge the clamping means and to aflix the adjacent edge flanges of contiguous membranes and the supporting strap together.

4. The combination with contiguous membranes having upturned flanges and certain flanges thereof having an inturned flange, of a supporting strap for supporting the contiguous membranes formed to receive an inturned flange, a resilient clamping means formed to engage the supporting strap and the inturned flange and resiliently aflix the contiguous membranes together, whereby the contiguous membranes may be readily attached and detached.

5. The combination with contiguous membranes having, upturned edge flanges, one of said upturned edge flanges of a membrane terminating in an inwardly turned flange, of a supporting strap receiving the inwardly turned flange, and clamping means complementally formed with respect to the supporting strap and formed to wedge the supporting strap and the inwardly turned flange together and resiliently formed to affix the flanges of the contiguous membranes and the supporting strap together.

8. The combination with contiguous mem branes formed with upturned edge flanges having complemental ribs formed thereon, of a slotted supporting strap engaging a-rib of one of the membranes, said last mentioned membrane having an inwardly turned flange engaged by the slotted supporting strap, and sep'arable clamping means resiliently-formed and overlying the inwardly formed flange and engaging the complemental rib of one of said membranes whereby the contiguous membranes are resiliently aflixed.

7. The combination with contiguous membranes having uptumededge flanges, an edge flange of a membrane terminating in an inwardly turned flange, of a supporting strap, the supporting strap having a substantially horizontal slot receiving the inwardly turned flange and a vertical slot extending from the horizontal slot, and clamping means aflixing adjacent edge flanges of the contiguous membranes and the supporting strap together, and said clamping means comprising an inclined wedge portion cooperating with the intumed flange and the horizontal slot and a leg portion cooperating with the vertical slot of the supporting strap, whereby the supporting strap is aflixed to a membrane.

8. The combination with contiguous mem-- and resilient means whereby the wedging means cooperates with the slot system of the supporting strap to aflix the supporting strap to the inwardly turned flange and the resilient means afflxes the adjacent edge flanges of contiguous membranes together, so that the contiguous units are supported from the supporting strap.

9. As an article of manufacture, a latch member for afilxing contiguous constructional units having an upwardly turned edge flange having an inwardly turned terminal flange portion, said latch member comprising an inclined wedge portion, a vertically extending leg portion adjacent to the inclined wedge portion, and resiliently formed means adapted to engage an upturned flange of a constructional unit, whereby the latch member is adapted for wedging and resilient action.

10. The combination with contiguous constructional units having upturned edge flanges thereon and certain of said units having inwardly turned terminal flange portions, of latching means for aflixing the units together, said latching means comprising a keeper. for engaging an inwardly turned terminal flange portion of one of such units, and a wedge member for engaging the keeper and for resiliently afllxing the contiguous units together.

11. The combination with contiguous constructional units comprising upturned edge flange portions with one of said units having an inwardly turned flange portion adjacent its upturned flange, of latching means comprising a keeper, said keeper formed for engaging the inwardly turned flange portion, and a wedge member formed for being afllxed to the keeper and comprising a downwardly extending resilient leg portion formed for engaging one of the upturned flange portions of a contiguous unit, whereby the contiguous constructional units may be attached a, ii)

and detached,

12. In an acoustical wall construction, the combinatlon with a supporting structure or a pinrality of perforated membranes supported therefrom, said membranes comprising upturned edge flanges formed to interengage with contiguous membranes, one of the upturned flanges or a contiguous unit having an inwardly turned flange, sound absorption material supported above the perforated membranes and within the upturned flanges, and means comprising a depending portion formed to engage the upturned flanges for supporting the sound absorption material substantially contiguous to the back of the perforated membrane, said means supported from the inwardly turned flanges of the perforated membranes by a member overlying the inwardly turned flange, whereby contiguous units are aflixed together.

' 13. In an acoustical wall construction, the combination with a supporting structure of a plurality of perforated membranes supported therefrom, said membranes comprising upturned edge flanges formed to interengage with contiguous membranes, sound absorption material mounted above the perforated membranes and within the upturned flanges, means for supporting the sound absorption material within the upturned flanges comprisinga depending transverse portion supported from the upturned flanges, and said means comprising upwardly extending means formed by the depending transverse portion for resiliently affixing the upturned flanges of contiguous units together.

14. In an acoustical wall constructioncomprising a plurality of perforated membranes, sound absorptionmaterial supported from said perforated membranes, and means for supporting the sound absorption material .comprising resilient means for aflixing contiguous membranes togather and depending transverse means for supporting the sound absorption material, and said resilient means formed by the aforesaid depending transverse means.-

15. As an article of manufacture, means for supporting sound absorption material within prefabricated metal pans comprising upturned edge flanges and an upturned flange thereof having an inwardly turned terminal flange portion, said I means comprising a latch member formed to engage the inwardly turned terminal flange portion and to resiliently affix contiguous units together, and a depending transverse portion formed to support the sound absorption material within the upturned edge flanges and to resiliently engage an upturned flange.

16. As an article of manufacture, a support formed for supporting a sound absorption pad I within a perforated pan unit of contiguous pan units having upturned edge flanges and a flange of contiguous units having an inwardly turned portion, said support comprising a transverse portion adapted to overlay the inwardly extended flange, downwardly extended portions formed to be affixed to the upturned flanges and extending to substantially the depth of the flanges, and a depending transverse portion formed to overlay the perforated pan unit for supporting the sound absorption pad above the perforated pan unit.

17. In a wall construction, the combination with a supporting structure of a wall facing supported therefrom comprising a plurality of pre-' fabricated metal pan units, said pan units comprising upturned edge flanges formed to interwedging action in conjunction with the slot to aflix a unit in place and to allow a contiguous unit to be affixed in position; whereby, in an assembled wall facing, the units are attached and detached individually.

18. The combination with contiguous membranes comprising in part upturned edge flanges.

the edge flanges provided with longitudinally formed ribs, of a supporting member therefor and clip members securing contiguous flanges to said supporting member, the supporting member provided with a slot system extending from an edge and then angularly therefrom and on the same edge formed complementally to a rib of a flange of a membrane, the clip having a portion entering into and retained in the slot system of the supporting member and an exteriorly extending portion angular thereto, the last said portion demountably securing contiguous flanges of contiguous membranes one to another and to an edge of the supporting member.

19. The combination with contiguous constructional units having upturned edge flanges thereon and an edge flange of a unit provided with an inwardly turned terminal portion. of av latching means for affixing the units together, said latching means comprising a keeper portion for engaging an inwardly turned flange portion of one of such units, said keeper comprising in part an obliquely positioned wedging member and a wedge member engaging the obliquely positioned wedging member of the keeper and afflxing the contiguous units together.

ANDERS'C. OLSEN. 

